Angelic Intervention
by Leareth
Summary: Hokuto-chan, S&S, red-ribbons and ice-cream
1. Prologue

Angelic Intervention   
**By Leareth**

Prologue

Sumeragi Hokuto was not having a good day. Ok, so time didn't have much meaning to her anymore, being dead and all, therefore it was actually night when she woke up on the wrong side of the cloud. To make matters worse she had misplaced her halo and her outrageous variant on the angel uniform Kami had given her was now looking, in her eyes, decidedly out of fashion. Grumbling to herself using words angels shouldn't use she yawned and rolled in her fluffy (albeit small) cloud over to look at the Earth below. 

Something caught her attention.

Of course, it was rather hard _not_ to notice the various explosions and collapsing buildings and blasts of power and the kekkai and fluctuations in the spiritual plane that emanated from Tokyo. Add to the fact that her brother was also there and she was fully awake immediately. Subaru in fact was in the thick of the destruction and that didn't help her mood any. Muttering to herself about her twin's bad manners, she extended her wings (shampooed last night for added softness) she rummaged around for her halo, found it, put it on and jumped off her cloud, flew down to Earth – 

- only to be immediately thrown heavenwards by a blast of power. Yelling and tumbling head over wings she shook her clear of stars and gnashed her teeth with a cry of "K'so!" 

No, she was not having a good day.

Blinking the afterimage of power away from her eyes Hokuto looked carefully down at the city-turned-battlefield in search of the person who had blown her away. He wasn't very hard to find.

Hokuto rolled her eyes at her brother. The onmyouji was standing on a building, his short black hair blown backwards and blood dripping from a light wound on his cheek. His green eyes were tired but still burned with an angry flame. The slightly too-small jacket was torn and dust coated his old black jeans and turtleneck top that had seen better days. In short, Sumeragi Subaru was not faring well and was definitely in trouble.

"Subaru," moaned Hokuto, "How can you were such ugly rags like that!" she wailed over her brother's fashion sense.

Down below, the younger (and breathing) Sumeragi fell to his knees. Hokuto's eyes narrowed as they followed the shadow of an eagle that dived and slammed through her brother's protective barrier. The shikigami's keening scream of triumph as it swooped over Subaru's head was amplified by Hokuto's lament.

"Sei-chan, you don't play fair!"

Muttering angrily to herself, she flitted silently and invisibly (she was a spirit after all) to another building, she perched on a spire and gazed at the man below her. She shook her head, her halo bobbing with her action.

"Sei-chan, this is not the way to make Subaru fall in love with you," she sighed theatrically as the assassin attacked her brother again. Then she pouted and tapped her lip with one slim finger. "Of course you being a Dragon of Earth as opposed to Subaru being a Dragon of Heaven doesn't help matters any." She grinned mischievously. "What _does_ help is that Seishirou still makes a good picture."

And it was true. The Sakurazukamori wasn't even ruffled by the duel, his expensive black suit impeccable and longish dark hair falling just slightly into his sunglasses. Hokuto sighed – he looked so dashing in his black trench-coat. 

Well, maybe slightly creepy too.

Three glowing white birds threw themselves at Seishirou and Hokuto whipped her head around to look at her brother. Subaru looked so _cute_ with his intense emerald eyes and black hair.

The two men made wonderful pictures by themselves.

Hokuto scowled as Seishirou sent the ofudu back to their master. Now the picture would be even better if they were _together_. Hokuto grinned as she thought of it. Seishirou could stand just behind Subaru, maybe with his arm draped around her brother's shoulders. Hmmm, and Subaru could look up at him with that adorable clueless look of his . . . oh that picture would be enough to make anyone swoon . . .

"Wah!"

Hokuto jerked her mind back to reality as she realised in her swoon she had fallen off the spire and was in the process of making contact with the ground with her head.

"AIEEEEE!"

Not that a fall would hurt her – she was dead after all. She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for impact. Then belatedly she remembered that she was an angel and angels had wings. Quickly she opened them and came to a halt barely a meter from the street.

She would have blushed if she were alive. As it was, she looked to make sure no one had seen her folly. Not that anyone could see – she was in a kekkai after all. Relieved she fluttered back up to her perch behind Seishirou, reminding herself to keep a good grip if she started fantasising about her brother and Sei-chan together.

But they made such a cute couple! Dreamily she closed her eyes. In her mind she saw Subaru and Seishirou standing close together. Very close together. Subaru looked up at the taller man, and Seishirou lowered his head towards Subaru's . . .

Hokuto swooned of her perch again but this time managed to grab onto a railing. Muttering profanities at herself, she drew her attention back to the fight.

The duel had intensified during her sojourn into La-La land. Subaru levied another blast at Seishirou. The assassin merely gestured and the blast rebounded of his shield and through the spire Hokuto perched on.

"AIEEEEE!"

Hokuto collapsed with the rubble then managed to spread her wings. She found another vantage point and sat on it firmly. Then for the next five minutes she devoted her energy to rearranging and fixing up her clothes. Of course physical disturbances couldn't affect her, but Subaru's blast wasn't physical but spiritual and so he had unwittingly ruffled his already annoyed sister. When she had finished, she stood up and shook her fist at the two combatants.

"SUBARU NO BAKA! SEI-CHAN NO BAKA!" she screeched. "Damn it, you two are enough to make an angel swear! Oops!"

Hokuto put a guilty hand over her mouth and looked apprehensively up at the sky. When no deity appeared to chastise her, she went back to grumbling about the Subaru-Seishirou situation.

Below her, her brother's green eyes narrowed. Then he drew his hands up before his face, clasping them with the forefingers extended. The onmyouji closed his eyes in concentration and began to chant.

__

"Om aribori sowaka . . ."

Hokuto blanched – well, figuratively. She knew what was coming next. A globe of pure power appeared around her brother. It slowly grew bigger in diameter and height, its light intensifying.

__

"Noubou Akyasha . . ."

Hokuto shielded her eyes, realising that the Sakurazukamori was doing the same. 

__

"Om Arikya!"

The blindingly bright sphere of pure energy rushed outwards from Subaru at its center, its force and power slamming into Hokuto.

"AIEEEEEE!"

Hokuto was blown head over wings again but quickly regained control in mid-air. Down below, Seishirou had lost his sunglasses revealing his mismatched eyes, and his black trench-coat was torn in several places. Blood seeped into the torn white shirt from a dozen shallow wounds. The former veterinarian looked disdainfully at the damage, then smirked at his opponent. Then he sent his shikigami out again.

Hokuto moaned and clenched her fists infuriated. Her brother and his lover/enemy/opposite were really pissing her off! Why couldn't they just kiss and make up?

In a fine demonstration of temper tantrum, Hokuto kicked a nearby wall as she hovered a hundred meters above the ground. Being a spirit her foot went straight through it, the momentum taking Hokuto as well and causing her to fall inside with a startled yelp. Hokuto swore as she picked herself up and retrieved her halo.

No, this was _not_ a good day.

She sighed. She had been waiting for so long for Subaru and Seishirou to get together. Then the whole silly business of Sumeragi and Sakurazukamori and the End of the World and the Seven Seals and the Seven Angels had to come in and ruin her plans! And Hokuto never liked having her plans wrecked, even if it was by the Apocalypse. Stuff the Apocalypse! It was the tragic love story of two enemies that was important!

But Subaru and Seishirou – argh, she was _so_ mad at them! Didn't they realise just how _perfect_ they were for each other? Nooooooo, they had to try to kill each other every time the other blinked!

"Someone should lock you two up in a room together for a few years!" she ranted at the two as another shockwave echoed through the building.

She stopped.

Subaru and Seishirou. Locked up together.

An evil grin spread itself over Hokuto's face.

This idea had possibilities. 

A _lot_ of possibilities. 

With a silvery peal of maniacal laughter, Hokuto disappeared.

* * * * * * * 

Subaru breathed deeply trying to find some measure of calm. Of course, calm was very hard to find. Why don't you try staying calm when someone is attacking you with shadow birds, sakura blossoms and blasts of energy, and you're not sure if you want to kiss or kill that someone?

The setting wasn't really conductive to calm either. The building he stood on was one of only two left relatively intact in the middle of the huge crater he had Seishirou had made. Relatively being the key word: he felt it shudder beneath him.

The young onmyouji set his mouth in a thin line and glared at the other man on the other building. Seishirou's smirk wasn't adding to the calm either. How could Seishirou be so composed when Subaru had managed to slash him in several places and tear most of his clothes to tatters?

Of course the Sakurazukamori looked very good underneath those tatters . . .

Subaru snarled at himself. This was _not_ appropriate.

"Subaru-kun," said a voice softly. 

The young man looked up warily. Seishirou smiled. Subaru-kun looked very cute under what was left of his clothes.

"Don't you think the game had gone far enough for today?" Seishirou asked mildly.

Emerald green eyes flared at him with an intense fire and with great force of will, Subaru drew himself upright. "I want to finish it," he said in a whisper. Seishirou could hear his answer quite clearly. He did have certain advantages after all.

The assassin shrugged and smirked and let his mismatched eyes harden. "Then let us finish it," he said in a deadly emotionless voice as a shadow settled itself on his out flung arm and a shower of soft sakura petals floated out of nowhere.

Seishirou sent his shikigami in for the kill.

The exhausted Sumeragi fumbled as he tried to raise a protective shield. With a strangled cry he fell backwards as the spirit-eagle came right at him.

"Game over," said Seishirou softly.

A burst of blinding white light encompassed the pentagram kekkai set over the ruins, causing it to implode and fade away as if it had never existed. Behind the kekkai was revealed a clean (or as clean as Tokyo Babylon could be) and intact city.

Of the two onmyouji, there was no sign.

Behold, the Void @ http://doki3.net/void/


	2. Chapter One

Angelic Intervention   
**By Leareth**

Chapter 1

Subaru murmured in his sleep as he drew the silken pillow under his head and curled up around it. It was smooth under his cheek and comfortable. In fact, his entire bed was very comfortable. He could feel silky smooth bed sheets under him and the mattress was as soft as a cloud. 

A half-asleep part of his brain yawned and wondered when Subaru had silk bed covers. He ignored it and rolled over. It felt so nice to be able to relax so completely for the first time since . . . since . . . 

Well. If he couldn't remember then it had been too long.

A contented smile spread itself over his face. He could almost ignore his torn clothes and half-healed wounds. Vaguely he wondered about the gap in his memory from his enemy's last attack and him waking up. Again he ignored the nagging thought. The bed was too comfortable to allow such thoughts.

Then he realised that his breathing seemed to have developed an echo.

_Wait a moment_, said his foggy brain. _There's someone else breathing._

Subaru opened his eyes slooooooooowly. He blinked as they focused on the person in the bed beside him whose face was disturbingly close and staring intently at him. Subaru's green eyes went wide with shock.

"ARRRGH!"

Subaru rolled away and scrambled off the bed, staring at the other occupant.

Seishirou, dressed in a simple black shirt and pants, cocked one fine eyebrow at him as he lay on his side facing Subaru with his head propped up under his arm.

"What are you doing in my bedroom?!" yelped Subaru.

Seishirou let his good eye rove around the area. "This is your room, Subaru-kun? Your tastes have changed drastically if it is."

Subaru frowned, then looked around. And yelped again.

The colour theme of the room was red, red, and more red. The bed Seishirou was lying on was heart-shaped and covered in red silk sheets. A red curtain cascaded down from the ceiling around the bed, almost like a waterfall of blood against the walls. The luxuriously thick carpet was a warm beige and in the corner was a pile of cushions in various shapes and shades of red. A high-tech sound system and large TV stood in a cabinet against one wall with a stack of romantic music CD's, the top one being 'Forever Love'. Red roses stood in crystal vases on every available surface that wasn't occupied by red scented candles. A cupboard stood adjacent to the large door/window covered with a semi-transparent curtain with a thicker red drape on either side while various lamps gave the room a subdued romantic light. There were two doors, one half open to reveal a bathroom, the other closed. 

Subaru's green eyes bulged. "Wh-what?!"

Seishirou chuckled. "So this isn't your room, Subaru-kun? I had rather hoped it was."

The younger man glared at the other, still lying on the bed. "What have you done?" he demanded.

"What have _I_ done?" replied Seishirou mildly. "I thought this was your handiwork."

Subaru looked wildly around. Was this some kind of crazy dream? Seishirou had appeared in his dreams before, but certainly not in _this_ setting. He realised he was tense. Not very surprising since the situation was rather akin to being in the same room as a snake. He had no idea what Seishirou would do.

The Sakurazukamori looked Subaru up and down. "Subaru-kun, you're too thin. Haven't you been eating properly?"

Subaru glanced down at himself. Realising just how little modesty his wrecked clothes gave him, he gave a strangled yelp and turned his back on Seishirou, wishing that his white skin didn't blush so easily. Then he remembered that turning one's back on Seishirou was akin to suicide. So he turned back around only to falter at the other man's rather naughty smile. The young onmyouji half turned around again then changed his mind then changed his mind again. Seishirou's laughter wasn't making him feel any better. Subaru glared.

One thing was certain – he had to get out of here before something happened. Subaru gave the assassin one dark look before heading for the door. He reached it in three strides and placed one shaking hand on the gold handle.

It wouldn't open.

The Sumeragi onmyouji frowned and jiggled it. He twisted it left and right. He kicked the door.

It didn't open.

"I've already tried that," said Seishirou as he watched the younger man's struggle. "And the windows. They won't open."

Subaru turned back to face the other with a wild look in his eyes. "You mean we're stuck in here?" he said in a strangled voice.

Seishirou gracefully rose into a sitting position on the bed, a gleam in his mismatched eyes. "Yes."

Subaru frowned and moved into a defensive position. The Sakurazukamori assassin watched him with a cold smile. "I must say this is quite a strange situation," Seishirou said conversationally. "But very advantageous." He stared at Subaru through his blind right eye. "We're all alone, in the same room and no one to interrupt us. Shall we take advantage of it?"

The younger man looked at him with an expression of suspicion and surprise. "What do you mean?" he asked warily.

Seishirou smiled. "We can get back to killing each other."

Before Subaru could react, the Sakurazukamori lunged at him, knocking the smaller man over onto his back. Gripping the delicate chin in one hand as he pinned Subaru to the ground with his body, Seishirou gave a cold smile and leaned closer.

"Ma ma, Sei-chan," said a chirpy voice. "Shouldn't you wait till _after_ the wedding?"

Subaru's face froze in an expression of shock. Seishirou's reaction to the voice was unreadable except for a flicker of surprise that quickly disappeared, but he swiftly let Subaru go and rose to his feet. He dusted off his clothes and bowed to the empty room. The young onmyouji half sat up, his eyes wildly scanning the area for the source of the voice.

"Ho-Hokuto-chan?" he stammered.

There was a maniacal laugh from the discorporate spirit. Then as the two men watched, a white mist seemed to coalesce in the middle of the room. Between one heartbeat and the next, it solidified into Hokuto. She was hovering perhaps only a centimeter or two off the ground looking more fairylike than angelic with a bright purple and silver and pink costume which consisted of a leotard and glittery tutu and butterfly wings. The only hint of angelness was the glowing halo above her head. If you ignored the levitating and the fact that you could see straight through her one could believe she was alive. 

Subaru did a double take. "Nee-san!" he cried and ran to her, arms extended for an embrace – 

- and found himself running on a collision course with the bed. With a startled yelp he tripped and sprawled over its red silken covers.

Hokuto smiled wistfully. "You can't touch me, Subaru. I'm dead."

At this reminder, her twin sent a glare of death at Seishirou who was watching Hokuto with an expression of pleased surprise on his handsome face. Of course the expression was feigned, but it's the thought that counts.

"Hello, Hokuto-chan. You're looking well," Seishirou greeted her. 

The ghost flashed a smile. "Why thank you Sei-chan!" she bubbled. "I chose this outfit just for you! Which reminds me. Why haven't you done anything about my brother's fashion sense? It's pathetic!"

"Hey!" protested the breathing Sumeragi.

Seishirou smiled almost pleasantly, then the expression abruptly turned cold. "What is the meaning of this, Hokuto-chan?" he asked in a hard voice.

The dead girl gave him an innocent look. "You know what they say. A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do to help her brother's love life!" she chirped.

Staring at the happy ghost, Seishirou smiled slowly. "Hokuto-chan, I don't think that was the exact quote." With a glance at the still stunned Sumeragi sibling the assassin's smile became bigger. "Although you do have a point. Subaru-kun hasn't had much luck in love. He's still an innocent." The Sakurazukamori ignored Subaru's angry protest.

"No thanks to you!" the dead but very much alive spirit burst out. Then she stopped and looked at her brother. "Although you never did tell me what you two did that night on Tokyo Tower."

Subaru's blush nearly matched the bed covers. "Nothing happened," he declared firmly with a defiant look at Seishirou. The look faltered under the other man's smirk.

"Nothing happened," agreed Seishirou, "nothing that you _remember_."

That, as expected, did not sit well with the already flustered Subaru. The younger man blanched and stared at the other with wide eyes as if the assassin had just exhibited a true emotion. "Please don't say that you – we . . ." His voice trailed off and this time his blush matched the deep red of the bed perfectly.

"SEI-CHAN!" squealed Hokuto.

"A gentleman would never tell," said Seishirou with a sweet smile at the outraged spirit.

"ARGH! Don't be so me-ean! I'm your future sister-in-law!" 

"You're dead," said Subaru.

"So? Tell me tellmetellmetellmetellme-eeeee!!!!" she whined, 'tugging' on Seishirou's sleeve.

The man shrugged. "As the lady pleases. There isn't much to tell. We slept."

Hokuto's grin turned sly. "Together?"

Subaru blanched and gagged.

"Does it count if Subaru-kun slept with his head in my lap?" asked the assassin. 

Subaru fell of the bed in relief – sort of.

"Awwwwww! How sweet!" squealed Hokuto. Then she thought of something and gave Seishirou a sideways glance. "You _are_ telling the truth, aren't you?"

The Sakurazukamori smirked.

"Um, Hokuto," said Subaru desperately trying to change the topic of conversation. "What are we doing here?"

"Don't you just _love_ the décor?" asked Hokuto in maniacal glee. "I personally designed it for you two!"

The two men looked at her. "What?" they both asked. Subaru's 'what' was perhaps more shaky than Seishirou's level tone.

Hokuto skipped then sat cross-legged in mid air with a thoughtful expression. "The _problem_ with you two is that you don't _communicate_," she mused. "And you need communication for a relationship to work." The spirit gave the two men a patient look. "And no, firing power blasts and sending shikigamis at each other does _not_ count as communication."

"It doesn't?" asked Seishirou with an innocent look the Sumeragi twins knew better than to trust. "I thought we had a very interesting relationship going."

Hokuto pouted. "Come on, Sei-chan. Unresolved sexual tension hardly counts. Although," she added with a look at her brother, "UST does allow for _interesting_ situations."

Subaru fell off the bed again.

"Anyway," she continued ignoring her spluttering brother who was pulling himself to his feet, "I thought that it was high time that you two _talked_ to each other. So I made a few arrangements and here you are."

Subaru looked at the door.

"And since this place is _my_ creation that door won't open unless I want it to."

Seishirou looked at the window.

"It's not really a window. You're just looking at an illusion. And before you try," she added, sensing the buildup of the Sakurazukamori's power, " you can't affect anything of mine with your magic."

Why not?" asked Subaru.

Hokuto rolled her eyes. "I'm dead, remember!" she said impatiently. "Your powers do affect the spiritual, but you're in the mortal plane when you cast your spells. And you are usually casting them against normal dead spirits or evil ones. Since for starters you are not in the mortal plane and I am not a normal or an evil spirit you can't do anything to me."

"Where are we then?" Seishirou asked curiously.

Hokuto winked. "I'm not allowed to tell you where you are. And since I did have _some_ powers in life I have some here. Only better, since I am dead and therefore more in touch with the spiritual than you two. I can do whatever the hell I like here!"

"Is that so?" the assassin queried with a 'sure I believe you' look.

The girl gave a guilty grin. "Okay, so there are some rules. I can't do anything to you two otherwise I would have dressed my brother. Though I did provide you with clothes, obviously," she said with a nod at Seishirou's attire. "Subaru, there's stuff for you too. Decent clothes, unlike the stuff you wear nowadays without me to help."

"Thanks. I think."

"Does kidnapping two mortals and imprisoning them in a bedroom come under any of those rules you mentioned?" asked Seishirou.

"Nope. No one's ever done it before so there's nothing that says I can't." 

The assassin chuckled. "Trust you to find a loophole."

"Of course! Nothing gets in the way of true love!"

Subaru's face was unreadable.

"Ah, Subaru, you can't deny that you love Sei-chan!" teased the deceased Sumeragi sibling.

Her brother didn't reply.

"And Sei-chan, you can't deny that you are obsessed with Subaru-kun!"

The Sakurazukamori merely raised one eyebrow.

"So then what's your problem?" finished Hokuto. Pixie-like she leapt lightly to her feet and floated to the door. "I'll leave you two alone now – but I'll be back soon! Bye!"

"Hokuto-chan!" cried Subaru desperately reaching a hand towards her. The spirit of his twin winked at him, 'opened' the door and disappeared. The sound of her laughter rang through the suite then died away.

Subaru slowly turned away from the door.

Emerald eyes met white and bronze.

"So," said Seishirou conversationally. "Now what?"

Behold, the Void @ http://doki3.net/void/


	3. Chapter Two

Angelic Intervention   
**By Leareth**

Chapter 2

"What do you mean, 'now what'?" said Subaru suspiciously. He did not like the gleam in Seishirou's eyes. It reminded him too much of a cat eyeing a canary.

The taller man shrugged. "I was merely asking for your opinion on our situation."

The Sumeragi gave the Sakurazukamori a pained look. "In what context are you referring to 'our situation'?"

"In any context you wish to believe."

Subaru sat gingerly down on the bed again, forgetting his torn clothes. Every muscle was tense and readied for any surprise. He decided to take the conversation in the direction of their current imprisonment rather than the other direction, which would probably end up with him and Seishirou at each other's throats – literally. "I don't know what Hokuto's up to," he said with a sigh. "I think being dead has addled her brains."

"Hokuto-chan was always rather meddlesome in your affairs."

Subaru winced at the word 'affairs'. "But still, what on earth is she thinking?" he exclaimed.

Seishirou gave a beatific smile and nodded slightly towards the bed Subaru was sitting on.

Subaru quickly jumped off the bed. Then he ran to the door and started pounding on it.

"HOKUTO!!!" he yelled. "Get back here!! HOKUTO!!!!"

A hand gently but firmly took a hold of his delicate right wrist as Subaru raised his fist again at the stubborn door. Another hand was laid on his left shoulder. Before Subaru could react, he was spun around and back shoved into the door with his right arm pinned above his head. The Sumeragi quickly brought his free fist up under Seishirou's chin but only managed a glancing blow as the other man turned away. Instead, the assassin grabbed his left hand and pinned that one above Subaru's head as well and so enclosing both slim wrists under his one hand. The young onmyouji squirmed unsuccessfully as the taller man leaned forward using his advantage of size to hold the other in place.

A disconcerting white and bronze gaze burned into Subaru's face.

"Subaru-kun," Seishirou whispered softly though the lurking hint of steel did not go unnoticed. "You've grown older, more interesting to play with." He brought his face closer towards the younger man whose defiant look was faltering, and drew one long finger down the line of Subaru's delicate cheek. The defiant look faltered a bit more. 

"However," the assassin murmured into the onmyouji's ear, "you still haven't realised that pleasure . . ." He brushed his lips against Subaru's cheek causing the other to tremble. " . . . is in some ways not very different . . ." Abruptly he stopped the caress and pressed one finger unmercifully against the sensitive pressure points of Subaru's head. The younger man gasped and would have collapsed if his hands hadn't been held up. " . . .to pain." 

The Sakurazukamori watched dispassionately at Subaru taking in several deep breaths while the fire faded. Then the assassin slowly enclosed the slim throat under his hand. His grip closed . . .

"I'm here! What did you want, Subaru?"

Hokuto materialised in the middle of the room posing in a new costume with her back to the struggle behind her. When no one answered, she looked around. Seeing Seishirou holding her brother in a death grip, the ghost pouted. She flitted over to the pair and waved a hand in between their faces. 

"Ex-squeeze me, but killing each other is not allowed," she said more seriously. At the sight of the transparent hand in front of his face, Seishirou took one step backwards, releasing Subaru who fell to his knees clutching his throat. 

"I was only playing, Hokuto-chan," said Seishirou innocently. 

"Playing at what, that is the question," replied the spirit. In the few minutes that she had been absent, she had managed to change her fairy-like dress for something resembling a cherub. Little angel wings peeked out from her back and the loose white dress in Grecian style with a high hem was bound with a gold sash at the waist. Gold sandals covered her feet, the straps crossing up to just under her knees. The only thing left over from the last outfit was the halo still perched above her head. 

The assassin smiled and offered a hand to Subaru who lay curled up on the floor. The gesture was ignored and Subaru pulled himself upright. His eyes were burning.

"Playing," the younger man bit out. "With a toy."

The others' smile turned cold. "Of course. I was bored."

"That can be fixed," said Hokuto. "Subaru, haven't you gotten changed yet?"

Her brother looked down at his clothes, still ripped and slashed from the battle. Then he drew himself up and stormed past Seishirou and through his sister to the bathroom. "I haven't exactly had the chance to," he said angrily. Without a single glance behind him, he slammed the door shut and not long after that, the sound of running water was heard.

Hokuto shook her head. "What did you do to him _this_ time?" she sighed.

"Nothing more than usual," replied Seishirou maddeningly.

"You mean the usual sadistic mixture of seduction and torture that just leaves Subaru even more confused?"

"What is there to be confused about? He wants to kill me."

The spirit rolled her eyes. "For someone who's utterly obsessed over my brother," she scolded, "there are still some things about him that you don't understand."

"He's still at heart the simple innocent young boy nine years ago," retorted Seishirou, perhaps a little bit sharply. Then his placid smile appeared again as if it had been there all along. "How long do you plan to keep us in here?" he asked with his usual talent for changing subjects as fast as his expressions.

"For as long as I deem necessary. Look," she continued at the other's disgruntled face, "I know you have things to do, a kekkai to destroy, some Seals to annoy but forget about it for a while. The Dragon of Heaven and Dragon of Earth issue have nothing to do with you for the moment. It's just you, Seishirou, and Subaru. And me of course! You can't forget the sister-in-law!"

Seishirou chuckled softly. "Of course not, dear sister," he said with a bow that only half mocking.

It was at this point that Subaru decided to open the bathroom door and peep out. "Hokuto, where did you say you put my clothes?" he asked, looking quite adorable with his black hair dripping water into his finely boned face.

Hokuto waved a discorporate hand in the direction of the wardrobe on the other side of the room. "In there, where Sei-chan's stuff is."

Her brother's look darkened. "Can you get it for me?" he asked his sister.

The dead Sumeragi sibling gave the living one a patient look. "Subaru, I'm not solid. I can't pick anything up."

"Conjure it over then?" he begged.

"I just spent a lot of energy conjuring up this dress! I'm tired!"

The Sakurazukamori leaning against the door got up and took one step towards the wardrobe. Subaru glared at him. Seishirou stopped.

"I'll get it myself," muttered Subaru. The door closed for a moment, then this time was opened wide. Subaru had a pink fluffy towel wrapped around his waist that hung on his thin frame to above his knees, and another towel draped over his shoulders. He walked briskly across the large room, feet sinking into the carpet to the wardrobe trying to ignore the green, white and bronze eyes upon him watching his every move. It wasn't the green eyes that made his white skin turn the same colour as the towel though.

Hokuto skipped lightly to her brother's side. "Stop right there!" she commanded, and through habit, though it was nine years since his elder twin had bossed him around, Subaru froze. Hokuto grinned. This was just like old days, except she couldn't hold the clothes. "Now, Subaru-kun, look in that drawer and take out the pants in there. And the shirt over in there."

Silently, Subaru obeyed. It didn't help that Seishirou was laughing softly off to one side. Although the onmyouji was now twenty-five, his sister still wouldn't let him get dressed without her assistance. He lifted out the folded black pants. Shaking it out, he gave a long sigh. The choice Hokuto had picked out was skin-tight and short enough that it ended above his ankles.

"Great! Now, the top!" said Hokuto with a chirp.

Subaru didn't bother to turn around. "Seishirou-san, shut up."

The assassin realigned his open mouth into a grin.

Draping the pants over his arm, Subaru held the top in the other hand. This one, the exact shade of black as the first article of clothing, was sleeveless with a high neck and also skin tight. Now that Subaru knew what his frivolous sister had in mind, he flicked his gaze into the wardrobe's interior. Next to a long black trench coat that could only be for Seishirou was a short red jacket. He could even see a black hat with a red band on the top shelf.

"Hokuto-chaaaaaan," he sighed. 

His sister grinned. "I have gloves as well," she offered. 

"Do I _have_ to?" begged Subaru desperately.

Hokuto gave her brother a sweet look. "C'mon, for old times sake!" Her grin turned sly. "If you don't, I'll ask Sei-chan to dress you."

The young man yelped while Seishirou laughed out loud, then dashed back into the bathroom. Hokuto frowned as the door closed tightly.

"Subaru? I think you forgot something." 

The sound of rustling of cloth on skin stopped. Hokuto looked at the bottom most drawer and it silently slid open as if pulled by invisible hands. A simple article of clothing floated out of it, hanging in mid-air.

There was a sigh from the bathroom.

"You'll have to get it yourself," called Hokuto. Then an arm passed through her to pluck the limp object out of the air.

"I'll do it," said Seishirou with a wink at Hokuto who giggled.

The Sakurazukamori walked gracefully over the carpet to the bathroom door, reaching it just as Subaru opened it. The younger man stopped, hand holding the towel around his waist and his green eyes flickering up to look at Seishirou's face and the piece of clothing he held in the air in his right hand. 

Subaru turned red. Muttering something under his breath he snatched the underwear from Seishirou and retreated back into the bathroom, trying not to listen to his sister's vigorous laughter, and the deeper chuckle of Seishirou.

"How do I get myself into these situations?" Subaru groaned. He pulled on his underwear then hung the towels on the rack, straightening them until they were perfectly aligned. "Nee-san, what are you up to?"

"Suuuuubaaaaaruuuuu," sighed Hokuto from behind him. "You haven't been eating properly."

Subaru turned around to see his twin shaking her head reproachfully as she looked at him up and down. He blushed only slightly – she was his sister and he had been her dress-up doll for years. However there was only so much scrutiny he could stand, and soon he reached for his clothing to cover himself.

"What do they feed you in that mansion?" asked Hokuto, watching her brother pull on his pants. "Gruel? Or is it because you just aren't eating because I'm not around anymore to tell you to eat? You're just as skinny as before."

"Must both of you go on about how much I eat?" asked Subaru as he picked up his shirt.

"What else do you expect of us?" replied Hokuto with a soft smile. "We both care about you."

Subaru shook his head, then brought the top over his head. "You do. He doesn't," he said shortly, voice muffled through the fabric. Pulling the shirt down and rearranging it so it sat properly, he looked at his sister with a faintly betrayed look. "He _killed_ you, Nee-san," Subaru said tightly. "How can you act so friendly towards him?"

Hokuto waved one discorporate hand negligently in the air. "Details, details," she replied lightly. "I got over that a long time ago. Oh sure, I was pretty mad for the first few months, but I got used to it." Her smile softened. "Besides, Subaru-kun. My wish in life was to take care of you and protect you. I did that."

Her brother looked at her flabbergasted, then sat down on the step leading up to the large spa. "You're not angry with him?"

"For killing me, no. For trying to kill you sometimes, yes." Hokuto cocked her head to one side. "But you know, I'm really starting to think he doesn't want to kill you at all."

Before Subaru could answer, there was a crisp knock on the bathroom door. 

"If you two have quite finished in there," said Seishirou from the other side of the door, "I would like to get cleaned up."

Hokuto turned slightly and glanced at the door handle. There was a _click_ as the lock opened but apart from that there was no sound as the door opened smoothly, revealing the Sakurazukmori on the other side. He looked Subaru in his tight black clothes up and down. 

"You know if things had been different, I think Hokuto-chan would have made a fortune as a fashion designer," the assassin commented. "Especially with such a handsome brother to model for her."

The younger Subaru would have blushed at such a compliment. The older one merely looked at Seishirou without saying anything. His sister however hadn't changed. Since Hokuto was now transparent, the light that shone out of her nearly obscured her features completely. 

"Ne, you're exaggerating!" gushed Hokuto.

The assassin gave a bow. "It's no exaggeration when it is the truth," he said with a sly wink at the younger Sumeragi sibling. "Subaru has broken many hearts I am sure. What a pity his has already been lost."

Subaru had a pained look on his face while Hokuto giggled. "Sei-chan, you say the nicest things! And you're so nice to Subaru when you want to be."

"Note the 'want to be,'" muttered Subaru. 

"Anyway, I won't keep you standing around any longer," twittered Hokuto, pirouetting on one foot and causing her cherub wings to swing through Subaru. In the middle of her spin she disappeared with a pop and shower of golden sparkles that floated to the ground but like Hokuto's laughter, faded before they touched the tiled floor.

Subaru sighed and held his head in his hands. 

"Again, how did this happen to me," he muttered. A soft rustling sound made him look up.

"Do close the door, Subaru-kun," said Seishirou as he idly tossed his black shirt into a basket. "Preferably with you on the inside. I would like some help in washing my back." He gave the younger man a sly smile as he folded his arms across his bare chest.

Subaru glared at him. "Go to hell," he shot over his shoulder as he nearly ran out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Seishirou shook his head and laughed softly as he turned on the water in the spa. Then a thought occurred to him and he smiled.

__

I wonder what we're going to do for sleeping arrangements.

Behold, the Void


	4. Chapter Three

Angelic Intervention   
**By Leareth**

Chapter 3

Hokuto had provided dinner, which was set out on a table that hadn't been in the room when Seishirou had left it. Where the food had come from he couldn't guess. It _looked_ like real food, it _smelled_ like real food and it certainly _tasted_ like real food. The spirit had obviously tried to make it a romantic dinner for two, but the effect of it was lost soon after Seishirou and Subaru sat down to eat, as Hokuto decided that tonight her brother's health was more important than his love life.

"Eat it _all_, Subaru!" ordered Hokuto, levitating behind her brother arms folded and glaring down at him. The young onmyouji sat hunched over his plate, not looking at Seishirou seated on the opposite side of the candles in the middle of the table. The scented wax smelled like sakura blossoms. "I know you've been skipping at least two meals a day and when you do eat you eat hardly anything, so now I am going to make sure you eat properly if I have to force feed you!" she said, emphasising the ultimatum with a pointed finger.

"Yes, Hokuto-chan," sighed Subaru.

The Sakurazukamori hid a smile as he watched the younger man obediently take a miniscule helping of the dish before him and gingerly lift it to his mouth. He had to admit just watching the younger Sumeragi twin was a pleasure in itself. With an unconscious, almost sensual grace, Subaru closed his lips around the mouthful, a tiny smile on his lips. Seishirou had the distinct feeling that he was being stubborn on purpose, enjoying his sister's fussing.

"Subaruuuuuu . . ." sighed Hokuto, rolling her eyes as her brother chewed slowly. "It's not poisoned, you know."

Subaru's emerald eyes narrowed and he raised his head.

"Don't look at me like that, Subaru-kun," chided Seishirou, taking another bite. 

Subaru lowered his gaze and returned them to his plate. Reluctantly he lifted his fork, but decided not to complete the utensil's journey and instead used it to play absently with his food. The sound of metal clicking on porcelain tinkled musically.

If Hokuto had been solid, the sound of her grinding her teeth in frustration would have been clearly audible. Since she was a discorporate ghost, all Seishirou could hear when she spun around to confront him was a wailed lament.

"Seiiiiiiiii-chaaaaaaaaan, I thought I asked you to watch over Subaru!" she scolded as if the conflicts and events of the past nine years had never happened, and all three of them were in Subaru's apartment having dinner like they used to. The only difference this time (apart from Hokuto not being seated to eat because she was dead and the room and Subaru having gotten older and a haircut and his absent gloves and Seishirou's lack of glasses and blind right eye) the Sumeragi twins knew exactly who he was.

"I do watch Subaru," protested Seishirou. 

Subaru looked up, his green eyes widening.

"I keep an eye on him quite regularly, actually," the assassin continued to Hokuto, ignoring Subaru's growing expression of shock, or it could have been pain at the pun. "I watch him when he's having dinner, when he's with his friends, sometimes when he's working, when he's at home . . ."

Subaru looked as if he had eaten a live fish.

" . . . when he's asleep, getting dressed . . ."

Some food must have gone down the wrong way, because Subaru had his hand to his throat and was gasping for air.

" . . . in the shower . . ."

There was a violent outburst of choking and coughing from the other side of the table. The elder Sumeragi sibling grinned wickedly, standing with her hands on her hips, an almost perfect imitation of a shocked expression on her face as she tried to glare at Seishirou.

"Sei-chaaaaahahahahahaha!" she wailed – or tried to, since she broke into laughter before her lecture had even begun properly. "I knew you had something perverted going on in that head of yours! And about my brother too! It's dis . . . haha . . . disgust . . . hahohoho . . . disgust . . . " In the end she lost control completely and collapsed. It was rather disconcerting to see her floating a meter or so above the carpet, clutching her stomach with tears streaming down her face as her silvery laugh echoed around the room.

Seishirou looked at Subaru with an innocent expression. "She did ask me to."

Subaru's chair had been flung back as he stood up, glaring through the flames dancing on the candles. The demonic effect didn't really work on him and just served to make Hokuto laugh even harder at Subaru's face. The living Sumeragi sibling shot the dead one a betrayed look, then spun on one heel and went to lie on the bed, closing the curtains around him.

Hokuto stopped laughing.

"Ne, Subaru," she said, "I didn't know you had gotten so touchy." She looked at Seishirou, who was staring at the closed curtains with an intent gaze. "Were you serious when you said you watched him in the shower?"

The assassin blinked, as if only just realising she was there, then turned his mismatched eyes on her. Hokuto shivered, just slightly. Seishirou's eyes had been disconcerting enough when he had a matched set – now they were just plain scary. However she was not about to let him get the upper hand – it wasn't as if he could do anything to her, since he had already killed her.

Suddenly he smiled. "No, I was just joking," he admitted. "I do watch Subaru-kun, but not like that. Though I have been tempted."

"Oh. I think we've hurt his feelings. He doesn't respond so cutely to teasing as he used to."

"I _can_ hear you two, you know," came Subaru's muffled voice.

Hokuto sighed as Seishirou stood up. She waved one hand absently and the table, still with dishes less than half eaten, disappeared with a _pop_ and shower of golden sparkles. At the same time, the lights in the room turned themselves on and the candles went out as Hokuto flitted over to the bed and through the curtains.

The crimson cloth wasn't heavy or thick, so the space inside them was given a light red glow rather than the light being blocked out completely. Hokuto willed herself to 'sit' on the covers next to her brother, who was curled up on the edge of the bed, one hand under the pillow.

"Are you mad at me, Subaru-kun?" asked Hokuto gently, wishing she was solid so that she could take her brother into her arms.

A small sigh, then Subaru rolled over to look at her with those wonderful expressive eyes.

"No," he replied. "Just a bit . . ." He groped for the word unsuccessfully.

"Startled by Sei-chan?"

"Shocked would be better." The onmyouji sat up, the rubbing of silk and cloth making a soft hissing sound. He sighed again, and hunched over, arms circled around his knees. "I don't know, Nee-san," he said quietly. "Do you know what you are doing?"

Hokuto grinned as she caused her shape to shimmer from where she 'sat' at Subaru's side to flow and reform in front of his face. 

"I know _exactly_ what I'm doing," she said with that smile of hers. "After it's not just your wish I'm fulfilling – it's his wish as well."

Subaru looked up, a confused expression on his face. "His wish?"

Hokuto's smile grew wider and she lifted a hand and waved goodbye as she faded. Her name died on Subaru's lips as he reached out towards her with the inevitable question. Letting his hand fall, Subaru closed his eyes and sighed.

The rose-coloured light turned to the normal white as the curtains rustled and opened. 

"I hope I didn't hurt your feelings too much, Subaru-kun," said Seishirou as he sat on the edge of the bed, a bit too close for Subaru's comfort. He wore an expression of concern that would have tricked a younger Subaru, now Subaru just looked at him and sighed.

"Don't bother, Seishirou-san," he said tiredly. 

The Sakurazukamori's face was hurt. Subaru glanced up and gave him a patient look. Seishirou chuckled and resumed his more natural intent predator's gaze. The onmyouji ignored it and rolled off the bed, heading for the wardrobe on the other side of the room.

"Changing already, Subaru-kun?" asked Seishirou as Subaru opened the wardrobe and began carefully rummaging through its contents.

"Uh huh," replied Subaru, finding a pair of white satin pajamas decorated with tiny red hearts courtesy of Hokuto. He sighed but threw them over his shoulder and went into the bathroom. "I want to get some sleep."

When he came out again after changing, he found Seishirou lying languidly on the bed in a deep midnight blue version of his own night-clothes. Subaru thought that perhaps Seishirou was already asleep, but the moment he shut the bathroom door the good eye opened and stared at him. Then the eyebrow above the eye was raised as the eye looked suggestively at the empty side of the large bed.

Subaru tensed, unwilling and yet willing to accept the invitation. He blinked then his brain took a hold of the situation. Setting his lips in a determined line, he went over the wardrobe again and looked for a spare blanket.

There wasn't one.

Subaru sighed. Letting his eyes drift over the clothes inside, they rested on Seishirou's long trench coat.

"Um, Seishirou-san?"

"Yes, Subaru-kun?"

"Can I use this?"

There was an almost audible frown. "What for?"

"Because -" Subaru looked at the assassin. "I'll need it. You can sleep on the bed."

Seishirou smiled, but it wasn't the pleasant one the vet had worn so easily. "Are you sure? The bed is big enough and I don't bite."

The Sumeragi gave the Sakurazukamori a patient look. "Seishirou-san," he sighed in a tone of voice that said everything. He unhooked the trench-coat from its hangar and laid it on the red sofa in front of the TV. Then he crossed the room to the bed and reached with his left hand for one of the pillows.

With reflexes honed by years of training and practice, Seishirou's arm flashed out and grabbed Subaru's wrist. The onmyouji tried to pull away, of course without success.

"Please, Seishirou-san," sighed Subaru.

Appealing to the assassin's sense of pity was like wanting the sun to rise in the west or for snow to fall in the desert. 

"Are you sure?" Seishirou asked softly. "It might get us out of here faster."

Subaru narrowed his eyes. Then his eyes fixed on the red pillow that he had tried to pick up. 

The Sumeragi was no mean martial artist himself. Before Seishirou could react, Subaru had grabbed the pillow in his right hand and bonked Seishirou in the face with it.

Seishirou blinked, dark hair in disarray. Then his eyes narrowed and a white and bronze gaze burned into Subaru's green eyes. He had not let go of Subaru's wrist.

"Subaru-kun," said Seishirou in that deadly, ultra-polite, calm and cold voice of his, the kind he used when in hunting mode. "That was extremely childish."

Subaru gulped. Seishirou smiled. It didn't make Subaru feel much better.

"You do know that this means war, don't you?" asked the Sakurazukamori.

The onmyouji let out a sound that could best be described as a squeak as Seishirou grabbed the other pillow and bonked him in the face. The blow was harder than the one used to initiate the pillow fight as Seishirou pulled the onmyouji towards him as he hit Subaru. The squeak turned into a yelp as Seishirou let Subaru go and the onmyouji fell flat on his stomach, leaving his back open. The assassin took full advantage of this weakness, managing to get in three bonks before the onmyouji rolled over. Instinctively Subaru brought his own weapon up and tried to defend himself, flailing about wildly with his eyes shut against Seishirou's attack. The assassin on the other hand blocked every blow and rained his own down on every part of Subaru that was exposed. In no time at all the onmyouji was forced to give up any attempt at fighting and instead concentrate on protecting himself, bringing the pillow over his head as Seishirou unmercifully bonked him with the pillow again and again.

"Seishirou-sa-oof!" gasped Subaru as one particularly accurate bonk impacted on his chest. The assassin had a smile on his face that signaled no intention of a peace yet. Desperately Subaru squeezed his eyes shut and tackled the surprised assassin who brought his arms up to protect his head as the flustered and vengeful Subaru sat on him and bonked him repeatedly with the pillow.

The Sakurazukamori didn't let him relish in his victory. After getting bonked across the face a dozen times, Seishirou decided to turn the tables. As Subaru lifted the pillow for another hit Seishirou grabbed his arms and between one breath and the next, had flipped Subaru over so that their positions were reversed. Pinning both arms down with his hands and Subaru's legs being immobilised by the assassin's weight, Subaru was quite helpless.

Both men took in several breaths as they stared defiantly at the other.

"Surrender?" asked Seishirou with that predatory smile of his.

Subaru glared up at him, but the effect was lost by the grin he had on his face. "To you? Never." He breathed deeply, the adrenaline draining away and leaving him tired – but also purged of a lot of tension. 

The assassin's mismatched eyes narrowed as he brought his face close to Subaru's, so close that the trapped onmyouji could feel the soft breeze of his breathing. However it wasn't until he could feel the lightest caress of his lips that Subaru squirmed free.

Seishirou lay where Subaru had pushed him, his midnight blue pajamas eye catching against the blood red. Subaru took in a deep breath or three, arms hanging limply at his side as he looked at the Sakurazukamori.

They held the gaze for several seconds, before Subaru decided to break it. Retrieving one of the pillows that had tumbled off the bed during the pillow fight, he walked over to the sofa and lay down, the black trench-coat serving as a blanket. Being Seishirou's coat, it did cover him like a blanket. 

Seishirou shook his head and chuckled softly. Then he turned off the lights.

Behold, the Void


	5. Chapter Four

Angelic Intervention   
**By Leareth**

Chapter 4

Hokuto wasn't so crazy as to not keep a watch on Seishirou and Subaru whenever she left them alone, so she checked to make sure they weren't ripping each other's throats out once every hour or so. Now if they were ripping each other's clothes off it would be a different matter altogether, but Hokuto was sharp enough to know that that possibility was, at this stage, out of the question. Therefore she wasn't too surprised to see that one of them had decided to take some makeshift sleeping arrangement far from the other. What was surprising was that they had decided to go to sleep peacefully.

Well, Subaru had anyway.

Hokuto watched the Sakurazukamori silently get off the bed where he had been lying without moving the last few hours, and gracefully stalk across the floor, perhaps instinctively avoiding the illusion of moonlight Hokuto had added and keeping in the shadows. The ghost wished that she hadn't chosen midnight blue for Seishirou – she had to squint in order to follow the black-on-black that was the assassin and even then she didn't notice immediately when he flowed out of the shadows to stand behind the sofa her brother was sleeping on.

The spirit frowned. Though it was very nice to see Seishirou watching her brother while he slept, the way the two men were positioned with the Sakurazukamori looming over the half-sprawled form of Subaru like some dark specter made Hokuto uneasy. Seishirou stood so that his profile was presented to her, but his face was in shadow. It was impossible to see with what expression he was looking at Subaru – if there was any expression at all.

"What dirty thoughts is your mind entertaining about my brother, Sei-chan?" whispered Hokuto teasingly, allowing her form to become visible to the assassin. Seishirou looked up. She was seated cross-legged, levitating near the ceiling near the canopied bed, dressed rather simply for once in a flowing white dress. Sort of simple – it was long enough that it cascaded to a few centimeters above the floor.

If Seishirou was surprised by her appearance, he didn't show it.

"The usual," he replied just as softly. "What it would be like to finally kill him."

Hokuto unfolded her legs so that she was standing, then willed herself to float over so that she was levitating by Seishirou's shoulder. The assassin watched her, then turned his attention back to the sleeping onmyouji. 

"Alright, I didn't need to know that," Hokuto muttered. It was too dark to see Seishirou's reaction. Suddenly tiring of the game, she moved the moonlight so that it fell across them, revealing Seishirou's face. Catching Seishirou by surprise, Hokuto managed to see the intent hunter's gaze before it slipped away into an impassive smile.

Hokuto grinned. Feeling mischievous, she altered the moonlight again until it flowed across Subaru as he lay half-sprawled with his arm flung out from under Seishirou's coat, face tilted slightly away from them. The silvery light washed out all the colours, leaving the sofa a dull, muted red while accentuating the black of Seishirou's coat and the white of Subaru's skin.

If there was one thing she knew the Sakurazukamori appreciated, it was beautiful things. She felt a small twitch of pride as she saw Seishirou smile. Subaru was blissfully unaware of their scrutiny, a sleeping Endymion waiting for his lover's kiss. 

"My brother is cute, isn't he," sighed Hokuto. Time had changed Subaru from the painfully thin and delicately exquisite youth to a slender, deceptively fragile and alluring young man. She wondered what she would have looked like, if she had lived. Gazing down at her brother, she mentally put the sleeping face on a female body. She would never know how accurate her imagination was.

Seishirou chuckled and reached down, caressing Subaru's face almost lovingly. Almost. "Cute isn't the word I would use." He smiled, but not pleasantly. "I thank you, Hokuto-chan," he said softly as he ran long fingers down Subaru's neck, all the way down to his hand. Almost gently, the assassin lifted the hand and traced his fingers over its back. A silver star flared into visibility. "You have captured Subaru's beauty perfectly for me."

Hokuto's look darkened at the sight of the glowing star. "Subaru isn't a toy you can play with when you are bored, Sei-chan. He doesn't belong to you."

Seishirou looked up at the floating spirit, an obsessive fire in his honey-gold eye. "He may not be a toy," he replied, amused. Then in a colder yet strangely more emotive tone; "But he is _mine_."

Hokuto was taken more than slightly aback at the _force_ of Seishirou's last words. They were almost . . . passionate?

"You are really obsessed with my brother, Sei-chan," said Hokuto.

The assassin wasn't looking at her, but instead was looking at Subaru's sleeping face, intent and almost hungry. With a feeling of disquiet, Hokuto glared at the pile of cushions in the far corner. One of the smaller ones suddenly jumped and lightly hit Seishirou.

The Sakurazukamori let Subaru's hand drop. Then he turned to face her.

"I find Subaru fascinating, yes," said Seishirou calmly, leaning on the back of the sofa. "But obsessed? No."

Hokuto shook her head slowly. "First sign of obsession is when people deny it."

"You forget who I am, Hokuto-chan."

The dead Sumeragi sibling sniffed. "Hardly."

Seishirou smiled thinly. "I'm Sakurazukamori. I'm not a normal person."

"Neither is Subaru, which is why you're obsessed with him."

"Your brother is the one who has been doing the chasing, not me."

Hokuto nodded, granting the man this argument. "True, Subaru is also obsessed with you. Which is why he hasn't really tried to kill you." She looked at Seishirou. "And you haven't really tried either."

Seishirou's mismatched eyes narrowed. "What are you saying."

"Obsession isn't very different to love, Sei-chan," Hokuto continued. "In both cases, you can't live without your love or obsession."

"Subaru doesn't love me," said Seishirou. "He did, once. Now he hates me. After all, dear Hokuto-chan," he continued with a smirk. "I did kill you."

"I know," replied Hokuto simply. "But there's a thin line between love and hate too. Subaru himself doesn't know exactly what he feels, now that he knows that I don't want revenge for my death. If he doesn't know, how can you know?"

The Sakurazukamori's glance fell back to Subaru. He had moved slightly, his throat bare, ivory skin almost luminous in the moonlight. "I could kill him, you know," the assassin said softly. "Right now, in front of your eyes."

"It would be only to prove to me that you are capable of killing the person whom your life revolves around, not because you want to."

"Hokuto-chan," said Seishirou, as if talking to a child. "I want to kill him. He is my prey, and he will die by my hand."

The spirit shook her head. "No. You want to own him, to understand him completely. My brother isn't the simple innocent boy anymore – you destroyed that. The man my brother's become is infinitely more complex. And you want to own Subaru now just like you did all those years ago."

Seishirou's eyes were unreadable as he gazed down at the sleeping onmyouji.

"Isn't that why you're jealous of his Kamui, Sei-chan?" teased Hokuto. "Because the Kamui of the Dragons of Heaven might know that one part of Subaru you don't yet?"

"I'm not jealous," Seishirou growled.

"Just possessive."

The assassin didn't answer her, watching her with wary eyes. Suddenly without warning, they changed, no longer the hunter's, but more the congenial veterinarian. "This imprisonment won't change anything, Hokuto-chan," said Seishirou levelly. He turned away from Subaru and stalked across the room to the bed.

The spirit followed him, smiling. "Oh you never know until you try," she said, shrugging. She looked at the bed covers and they slid up to cover the assassin as he lay down on the bed. "In fact, I believe we've made a good start."

Seishirou shook his head and smiled. "You never give up, do you."

"Not when you two are concerned. So tell me," said Hokuto, tilting her head to one side. "Why did you decide to get out of bed and watch Subaru sleeping?" 

The man gave her a sly smile. "You know that I couldn't resist such a wonderful opportunity for voyeurism, pervert that I am."

There was more to it than that, but Hokuto giggled as she willed the moonlight to fade. "Good night, Sei-chan." 

She allowed herself to fade as well, the smile never leaving her face.

* * * * * * *

Sofas had never been the best places to get a good night's rest. They're too narrow, the cushions are made for sitting rather than sleeping and in Subaru's case, it was too short for his long frame. Add to that the fact that Subaru was a worrier by nature and he did not get a good sleep. Rolling off his 'bed' and being rudely awakened by the floor tangled up in Seishirou's coat didn't make him feel any better.

Hokuto was distracted by a _thump_ from the general direction of the sofa and the levitating kettle spilled its contents onto Seishirou's saucer rather than his cup. The kettle danced a little several inches above the table's surface, then clunked down spilling more coffee as Hokuto giggled at Subaru dragging himself off the floor, hair in disarray and a dazed look in his green eyes. He blinked owlishly, looked around, then groaned and let his head flop down onto the armrest, wishing he could go back to sleep.

"Good morning, sleepy-head," sang Hokuto. The black and white maid's uniform she wore was given a Hokuto-style touch by the tutu skirt and knee-high sheer black stockings with suspenders. The combination of angel wings and white maid's cap and glowing halo on her head looked rather strange though. "Breakfast is ready!"

__

There has to be a law against people being so chirpy in the morning, thought Subaru darkly. 

The kettle rose into the air again, this time by a pair of hands who poured coffee into two cups.

"I would have woken you up but I decided you looked too cute when you were asleep to do so," said Seishirou as he brought his cup to his lips. 

Subaru wondered if there was a law against people looking so good in the morning. The Sakurazukamori was impeccable as always in a black suit and tie with a dark red shirt, though the picture was made more casual by the jacket draped over the chair and the air of seriousness the clothes gave was dispelled by Seishirou's smile at Subaru.

Subaru looked at him, groaned again and rubbed his eyes as he stumbled to the breakfast table. Seeing Seishirou first thing in the morning was a bit disturbing and wasn't making him feel any better. Most of his night had been spent worrying over what his fellow Seals were doing and whether they were searching for him. Not only that, he worried about how Kamui was handling his unexplained disappearance – the young Dragon of Heaven had come to depend on Subaru to help him through the ordeal of the End of the World with his emotional problems. Having Subaru's support suddenly removed would certainly distress Kamui and the other Seals as well. 

The positive side was that the Angels had also lost one of their most powerful fighters. The downside of that was that Subaru now had to deal with Seishirou. And he wasn't sure if he was ready for that. 

He really needed to get out. The problem was that he didn't know how.

Hokuto looked at her brother as he flopped down in the chair and half-heartedly reach for the coffee Seishirou had poured. "Didn't you sleep well?" she asked.

Subaru made some negative noises in reply. On the other side of the table, Seishirou was shaking his head.

"I told you that you could have slept on the bed, but no, Subaru-kun, you have to be such a prude and sleep on the sofa, didn't you," the Sakurazukamori said morosely. "I'm hurt."

"Shut up," Subaru snapped.

Hokuto's eyebrows went up. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

"Is it morning?" asked Seishirou. "Or have you just made it seem like morning?"

The angel grinned impishly. "Sorry. Not allowed to tell you."

Subaru closed his eyes as the caffeine washed the last remnants of sleep away. The entire scene was like so many of those during that one year they had shared together. Hokuto and Seishirou were acting as if nothing had changed; she was being her usual flighty self and he was teasing Subaru like always. But so many things had happened between them that could never be undone. The fact that Hokuto had decided to overlook the fact that Seishirou had killed her and treat him like a friend had thrown Subaru. But even if his sister had seemingly forgiven Seishirou for everything he had done to them, it didn't mean Subaru was going to. 

"Hokuto-chan," he said when his throat no longer felt dry. "I have to get back."

"No you don't," his sister replied absently as she filled Subaru's plate and bowl. The forks and ladles dancing in mid-air full of food required a lot of concentration to uphold.

"But I have to!" protested Subaru, blinking as a droplet of soup splashed onto him. "I have to help my friends – they'll be worried about me, the End of the World is coming up and -"

The food stopped flying. "Subaru," said Hokuto, turning to face him as the food and utensils lowered themselves onto the table. "Forget about all that while you're here. You don't need to worry about it."

"But I'm a Dragon of Heaven – I need to worry about it!"

"So? Sei-chan's a Dragon of Earth and you don't see him worrying."

"But -"

"But nothing, Subaru!" declared Hokuto, folding her arms and glaring at her brother. "You don't need to worry. It's not as if the other side has gained any advantage anyway. In fact by removing both of you from the fight I think I may have eased things a little."

"But I have a duty -"

Hokuto was looking angrier by the second. "You're always wrapped up with duty! It doesn't matter here! For once I want you to stop thinking about others and just worry about yourself!"

Seishirou was watching the two of them over the rim of his coffee cup. "Better do as the lady says, Subaru-kun," he said. "I for one agree. You're always working too hard for other people."

The assassin was rewarded with a glare. "Aren't you worried about your friends?" asked Subaru.

"'Friends' isn't quite the term I would use to describe them," replied Seishirou, taking another sip of his coffee. 

"Anyway, Subaru," continued Hokuto. "I don't want you to leave yet."

At the thought that he may have insulted his sister by wanting to leave Subaru's eyes widened and he reverted back to being his sixteen-year-old self. "Ah, I'm so sorry!" he stammered hastily, "I'm happy that you're erm, back, it's just that . . ." He dropped his gaze back down to the table. "I'm worried about Kamui and the others."

There was a cracking sound from the other side of the table. The twins looked around at Seishirou. The assassin had put his teacup on its saucer with enough force to crack the china. Or maybe the saucer had cracked under the intensity of Seishirou's dark gaze. Then without warning his usual mask of friendliness appeared again and Seishirou flashed the Sumeragi siblings a smile. Subaru gave the other man a confused look. His sister just gave Seishirou a knowing one before catching Subaru's attention again. 

"How can you worry over the Kamui when you have Sei-chan!" she demanded playfully, hands on hips in mock anger.

Behind her Seishirou held a hand to his head melodramatically. "Ah, I knew that I could have no chance with a wealthy and beautiful young man such as Subaru-kun," he sighed. "After all, I am just a poor veterinarian."

Two pairs of identical green eyes gave him identical looks of strained patience. He flashed a smile at them. Hokuto rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, Subaru-kun," she continued. She folded her arms and gave her twin a smile that set off alarm bells in his head. "I finally have the chance to do with you all those things we never got round to doing."

"Like what," asked Subaru warily.

Hokuto tilted her head to one side. "Like how we never got to hear you sing when Sei-chan took us to that karaoke bar. You wrecked the night by running off."

Subaru had a bad feeling.

"Yes, that's an idea!" exclaimed Hokuto. "We can sing some karaoke! What do you think, Sei-chan?"

Seishirou laughed. "An excellent suggestion, Hokuto-chan!"

Suddenly Subaru wanted a cigarette. Badly.

Behold, the Void @ http://doki3.net/void/ 


	6. Chapter Five

Angelic Intervention   
**By Leareth**

Chapter 5

"Please, Hokuto?"

"No," the ghost repeated firmly, her eyes slightly unfocused as she stared at the TV and laser-disc player. On its own accord, the player opened and the waiting shiny disc hovering above it slid into place. "I don't really like smoking."

Subaru sighed and looked enviously at Seishirou seated next to him as the assassin casually tapped out one cigarette from a box he had produced from somewhere. Then he leaned over and rested his head in his hands. If there was ever a time he really needed something to settle his nerves, it was now. He really did not like singing. Especially in front of other people. But Hokuto had asked him to, and he could never refuse anything of her.

Hokuto, dressed in a short black skirt and top with red stockings held up with suspenders, didn't take any notice of her brother. "I think you should quit," she continued. "They'll drive you to an early grave."

Subaru laughed shortly without looking up. "Considering the many ways I could die in the next few days, I don't think that lung cancer is a problem," he replied.

There was a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. Subaru rolled his head to one side, looked at the man on his right and frowned.

Seishirou lifted his lighter to the two cigarettes he held between his lips, the glow from the flame reflected in his honey-gold eye. Subaru watched every move as the assassin gracefully took one of them from his mouth and offer it to the onmyouji.

Subaru stared at the smoldering cigarette, the scent diffusing into him. But he didn't take it.

"You know you will, sooner or later," said Seishirou softly, not looking at him but instead focusing on the TV screen as it lit up. "Just take before Hokuto-chan turns around and sees."

The young onmyouji set his mouth in a thin line, but reached out and took the cigarette. Trying not to think about what had happened to it beforehand, he put it to his mouth and took a welcome drag of its smoke.

"Now guys, I've picked some really nice songs and-" Hokuto broke off as she turned around and pouted at the sight of the two men with cigarettes held between their fingers. "Sei-chan!" she whined, giving the man in the black and red suit a betrayed look, arms folded across her chest.

The Sakurazukamori put on his best innocent expression. "I'm sorry, Hokuto-chan," he apologised, almost sincerely. "But I can't bear to see dear Subaru-kun tortured." He ignored the way Subaru rolled his green eyes and muttered something best left unsaid.

Hokuto sighed. "Fine, fine," she relented. "I suppose one advantage of being dead is that I can't smell it. So!" she said brightly. "Who's singing first?"

Seishirou smiled at Hokuto and nodded his head ever so slightly to his left. Subaru gulped as a microphone flew towards him and dangled in mid-air in front of his face. With a flicker, Hokuto blinked out of sight, only to appear behind the couch, her head thrust in between them as she gave Subaru her sweetest smile.

Subaru gulped. "Do I have to sing?"

His dead sibling's eyes glittered like emeralds. "Of course, Subaru! I've practically never heard you sing, and now that I'm dead I won't ever be able to anymore! This is my only chance!" With another shower of golden sparkles she winked out of sight and appeared in front of them. Her sudden departure from behind the sofa left Subaru looking at Seishirou. The onmyouji blinked at the unexpected sight of the assassin's mismatched eyes, then quickly turned away, forcing himself to stare resolutely at his sister as she willed a laserdisc to slide out of its case and hover in mid-air.

"You know, Sei-chan," continued the ghost. "I really wish that you had waited a bit longer before killing me. Of course it would have been great if you didn't have to kill me at all, but anyway, couldn't you have waited until I had at least finished teaching Subaru how to dress properly?" She turned around, running a critical eye over her brother's clothes, tight long black pants and shirt with a red jacket, then nodded with satisfaction at her handiwork. "Or better yet, have let me see you kiss Subaru at least once. Then I could have died a happy girl."

Like he had done so many times when he was sixteen, Subaru fell off the sofa in a fit of coughing.

"I could make you a happy girl right now, Hokuto-chan," said Seishirou, watching Subaru climb back into his seat, "but I'm afraid Subaru likes playing hard to get."

"Too true," Hokuto sighed as her brother fell off the sofa again. "You won't get out of it this time, Subaru," said Hokuto. "Look, if you sing, Sei-chan will sing too."

The onmyouji flicked his eyes to the Seishirou, searching for any response to this. Irritatingly the man just grinned and tapped the ashes of his cigarette into the bowl on the side table to his right. 

"Come now, Subaru-kun," the assassin said. "You have a beautiful voice."

Subaru just looked at him.

"Or," Seishirou continued as he brought the cigarette to his lips again, "is it because you don't want to sing for me?"

The younger man snarled and grabbed the microphone out of the air. "Who said I was singing for you, Seishirou-san?" Not waiting to hear the answer, he stood up, crushed the remains of the cigarette and turned to the TV screen and the ghost of his sister, waiting with a remote control floating in front of her. "Put something on, Hokuto-chan," Subaru said.

The spirit raised one eyebrow. "Anything?"

Subaru nodded, his eyes determined. He was going to see this through to the end.

Besides, there was the incentive of hearing the Sakurazukamori sing . . .

Hokuto smiled slyly and the 'play' button was depressed. When the first strains of strings crept into audibility, Subaru didn't feel so determined. He had never been a great music fan, but then a broken chord rippled and there was no time for protest.

Subaru took a deep breath. The song was vaguely familiar; one of those he had heard a couple of times but never really listened to. It wasn't particularly difficult, and his low alto would reach the notes easily. In fact it was so easy, he didn't even have to think about it, but just follow the words as the lit up one the screen.

"Moshimo uchuu ni kono hoshi futatsu are ba 

Ima sugu fune ni tobinori nigedashite 

Nidoto musubarenu higeki ni nakebasumu..."

The accompaniment was soft, too soft and Subaru let his voice drop accordingly, embarrassed at being heard so easily. The words were rather . . . sad. 

"Yuushin tessen futari o shimetsuketemo 

Natsu o ooikosu kurai ni motome gatta ..."

But he had to admit that the song was lovely. He was barely aware that his voice and the music were the only sounds in the room. The regular rhythm and resonating harmonies lulled his nervousness and 

Subaru almost found himself enjoying it.

"Meguri atta kotoga sude ni yuuzai na noni ..."

Why were the majority of karaoke songs love songs? This one was melancholy, expressing some kind of longing and desire, but at the same time guilt. Subaru could empathise with it very well. 

Too well . . .

"Anata no nioi, anata no karada, anata no koe mo - naze...

Anata no shigusa, anata no ondo - te o no bashitara sugu todoku?"

__

No. They aren't. And yet I still want it . . .

Subaru lowered the microphone as an instrumental interlude let him rest. He opened eyes he never realised he had closed as violins played a haunting, almost wistful motif like twinkling stars, and caught his breath. Hokuto stared at him, a soft smile on her face. Hesitantly, Subaru smiled back, but the smile vanished as his eyes inevitably settled on the other member of the tiny audience.

A guitar solo with percussion backing, as if the clouds of the night sky had parted and let the moon shine.

Seishirou was watching him, his honey gold eye strangely intent and a hungry smile on his face. Subaru gulped and his voice caught in his throat. The music called for him to sing again, but he couldn't. 

The assassin gestured slightly, as if saying, 'Go on.' Immediately, Subaru took a deep breath and obeyed.

"Ikutabi uso o tsuke ba jigoku ni ochira reru ..."

Subaru closed his eyes again so that he wouldn't have to see his audience, and his voice soared.

"Satsui ga tanabi kunara ai wa yuuzai na noni ..."

He couldn't help but open his eyes and look at Seishirou as he sang that line.

"Anata no nioi, anata no karada, anata no koe mo - naze

Anata no shigusa anata no ondo anata no kami mo - naze ..."

__

Why, Seishirou-san? 

"Anata no toiki, anata no sugao - te o no bashitara sugu todoku?"

Subaru held the final note only as long as necessary. The moment the music allowed he stopped and let the microphone drop. It hit the carpet with a muffled _thud_, breaking the spell as the unwilling singer fled to the relative safety of the sofa and sat down firmly in its farthest corner, ignoring the applause and trying to hide his furiously blushing face.

"Subaru!" squealed Hokuto. "That was so good! You were lying when you said you were tone-deaf!"

Her brother, who was as red as a cherry, unconsciously filched the lighter and a cigarette from Seishirou's box, then tried with shaky fingers to light it. The owner of the lighter and cigarettes gave Subaru a slightly surprised look, then shook his head at Subaru's repeatedly unsuccessful attempts at lighting the cigarette to sooth his nerves. Firmly, Seishirou covered Subaru's hand in his own and deliberately struck the lighter properly, then guided the flame to light the cigarette. Letting the annoyed onmyouji go Seishirou turned with narrowed eyes to the ghost. 

"Did you have any particular reason for choosing that song?" he asked suspiciously.

The girl winked. "Of course not!" she said, too innocently. "I just thought it was nice, that's all!"

She was rewarded with a slight smile. "Then I'm interested in what choice you've picked out for me," said Seishirou.

Already the abandoned microphone was lifted by invisible hands and floating towards him. Seishirou slowly took it and with a sideways look at Subaru, got to his feet. Unconsciously, Subaru looked at him.

Hokuto had that grin on her face again, the one that told everyone that she had some ulterior motive going on. She pressed play.

Subaru realised that he had never heard Seishirou sing before. That night when they had all gone to the karaoke bar he had been to embarrassed to sing in front of Seishirou, and since Subaru wouldn't sing, Seishirou wouldn't either. The rest of the night had been spent listening to Hokuto's beautiful unaffected voice. However that was nine years ago, and Subaru was surprised to see that he was actually very interested in seeing what the Sakurazukamori would do with music. 

Seishirou listened with half-closed eyes to the opening bars, bell-like intonations that built up on each other ringing like crystal. Subaru frowned, not recognising the song. 

The Sakurazukamori did. Opening his eyes, Seishirou gave the silently laughing spirit a long-suffering look. "Hokuto-chan . . ." he said in a voice that said everything.

The ghost smiled and gave him a mocking bow. Seishirou shook his head at her, a wry smile on his face. Suddenly his good eye glinted, light flickering off liquid gold as he suddenly turned to face the sofa's single occupant. The smile turned predatory as Seishirou looked at Subaru with a piercing gaze and began.

"Donna monoyori tsuyoku kimi wo misetsudsuketai

Boku igai no dare ni mo chikadsuitari shinaide ..."

Subaru caught his breath. Seishirou's voice swept over him like velvet, a seductive tenor. The rich warmth of his voice however, completely belied the words he sang.

"Kimi ga te ni ireru mono kasuka na yokubou no koe

Sobani iru to sore dake jerashii ni oboreru ..."

While Subaru had closed his eyes when he sang Seishirou kept his open and they never moved from Subaru's face. His voice was unfaltering, uncharacteristically warm, hypnotic. 

"Kimi dake wa tokubetsu sa donna toki mo wasurenai

Shizuka na yoru no mukou de kimi wo te ni iretai ..."

The song was unsettling, for all its soothing melodiousness. Subaru wondered for one, brief moment, if Seishirou was making up the words as he went along. The lyrics were uncanny, disturbingly personal, whispering about some dark obsession. A shiver went down Subaru's spine, but he couldn't break Seishirou's gaze.

"Koboreru houseki dane marude kimi no hitomi wa ..."

Emeralds trapped in solid gold. Was it his imagination, or had Seishirou's voice become more . . . passionate?

"Anna ni hageshii kokoro mune ni kakushita mama de ..."

Seishirou was singing for him.

"Moeagaru honou sae tsumetaku kanshiru hodo no ..."

Seishirou was singing for himself.

"Samishisa wo ima nara tsutsunde agerareru ..."

_Did you watch for it?_ thought Subaru. _Or did you not want to?_

"Kimi dake ni okuritai kazari no nai kono ai wo

Tatoe surechigau dake no deai da to shitemo ..."

Subaru knew how good an actor the Sakurazukamori was, but yet there was something desperate to the song seemingly expressed in Seishirou's voice, and it did not seem to be false. It was the sense of someone wanting to be understood - someone who wanted to do something, but couldn't and so, depended on the other person to understand.

"Kimi dake wa wakaranai tashika ni sobani iru noni ..."

__

How can I understand you? All you do is confuse me . . . like now.

"Dakishimereba sore dake hanarete iku you de ..."

Subaru couldn't move as the assassin lowered the microphone with the onset of the instrumental solo, mismatched eyes still locked with his. He never stopped staring as Seishirou slowly took one step towards him, then another. Standing above the onmyouji, Seishirou smiled. 

"Do you understand, Subaru-kun?" he asked, voice still low and silkily seductive as he leaned towards the younger man.

Subaru instinctively began to back away. However he couldn't forget the almost imperceptible signs of what could be emotion that he thought he had seen as Seishirou sang, hints of something revealed as music seemed to reach past into the subconscious. Music was the most irrational of arts, after all. And strangely enough, it may be the first time he understood Seishirou.

He held his ground. 

A faint flash of surprise flickered across Seishirou's face, one of the rare times Subaru had ever seen him taken off-guard. However it was gone as quickly as it came and as the musical interlude ended, 

Seishirou began to sing again. He did not bother with the microphone, his face overpoweringly close to the only person that he wanted to listen.

"Yawaraka na kami wo kaki age sotto sotto kuchizukeru ..."

Subaru shivered as cool fingers cupped his cheek, whether in revulsion or pleasure he didn't know. So hypnotised by the song and the singer was he, he didn't shy away, even when they brushed the fringe of his soft hair. Seishirou smiled, predatory. Hungry. His voice, however, soothed any fluttering of fear.

"Nigerarenai yoru wo se ni shita kimi wa 

Donna yume miteru no ..."

Bell-like notes sounded the melody, intertwining and echoing one after another, as Seishirou leaned closer, face inches away from Subaru's. The onmyouji gazed up at him, unflinching, questioning.

A smile slowly spread across the Sakurazukamori's handsome face. Then he brought his lips to Subaru's.

The younger man froze for just a second at the unexpectedness of the action - but only for a second. As soon as his mind registered the kiss, Subaru jerked away, arm flinging out to grab the armrest of the red sofa. Seishirou let him go, laughing softly as the younger man took a deep breath and glared at him. Stepping away from him, the assassin brought the microphone to his lips again.

"Kimi dake wa tokubetsu sa donna toki mo fushigi na hito ..." sang Seishirou. There was a mocking, almost taunting note in his voice.

"Shizuka na yoru no mukou de subete te ni iretai ..."

Subaru's emerald eyes were hard. Angry at himself, he should have known the Sakurazukamori was playing all along. There was no true emotion in his song.

"Kimi dake ni okuritai kazari no nai kono kokoro ..."

Again, Seishirou had been toying with him. And again, Subaru had let him, even though he knew better. Why?

Subaru shuddered.

In a way, he almost enjoyed it.

"Tatoe surechigau dake no de aidato shitemo ..."

The assassin lowered the microphone, still smiling at Subaru uncomfortably. The younger man glared at him as the song began to die away, an uncomfortable feeling still filling him.

"Don't ever forget, Subaru-kun," said Seishirou softly. "You are mine."

Subaru's face darkened, the forgotten cigarette one long ash cylinder. On the back of his hands, the inverted pentagrams suddenly flared with a sullen glow. The onmyouji clenched his fists and forced himself not to lunge at the other man. The burnt out cigarette crumbled and dropped onto his black pants.

"Hmmm, perhaps it was a good thing I didn't choose a duet," said Hokuto. Arms folded as she floated beside the wall, she looked at the two men in turn. "With all those looks you gave each other I would have drowned in sweetness if you sang together."

There was a _thump_ as Subaru fell off the sofa. 

"But Sei-chan," continued the ghost, ignoring her spluttering brother as he climbed back up. "I didn't choose that song so you could seduce Subaru."

"Oh?" asked the assassin with one raised eyebrow. "I thought that was the point."

He was rewarded with a vigorously shaken head from the spirit. "No," Hokuto replied. "I just wanted you to sing a nice song."

Seishirou and Subaru gave her a look that said everything. The ghost merely grinned and waved her hand. The microphone still in Seishirou's hand disappeared with a shower of golden sparkles as Hokuto flitted to the center of the room, motioning for Seishirou to sit down next to Subaru. 

"My turn, my turn!" She turned back to the player and willed it to open, replacing the disc with another. Spinning around, her black beret with red flower set at a jaunty angle, Hokuto flashed a smile as the music started. Subaru really hoped it wasn't a love song. He didn't think he could take any more of them.

It wasn't, thank goodness. Instead Hokuto had decided to break the mood and sing something light-hearted, a welcome respite from all the angst of the previous two. 

"Donna hito momina tekushi ..."

He didn't know what his sister had had in mind, choosing those songs for him and Seishirou to sing. Obviously there was some hidden meaning or purpose in her choice. Unfortunately, Subaru had never been able to see the aims of the crazy plans his sister cooked up for him. 

"Aisuru mono niwa tayasuku damasareru hoontoyo ..."

Hokuto's sweet soprano filled the room, but Subaru listened with only half an ear. Shooting a look at Seishirou seated so calmly by his side, Subaru wondered if the assassin had understood. Was there some message Hokuto had so cryptically given to them?

Or maybe the message hadn't been from Hokuto. Maybe it had been to each other.

"Minna kou iuwa, Saiwaise na beto tanoshii ..."

Notes: 

Subaru's song is 'Yuuzai' from the 'Tokyo Babylon Image Soundtrack 2'. 

Seishirou's song is 'Solid Gold' from 'Tokyo Babylon Image Soundtrack 2'

Hokuto's song is 'Charlotte no Okurimono' from 'Tokyo Babylon Image Soundtrack 2'

Lyrics taken from **Ueno Park** where you can also find translations.

Behold, the Void @ 


End file.
